Still Cincinnati and Cleveland were among the 81 centers nationwide requiring further review.

While the local numbers were encouraging, one Tri-State veteran said he slipped through the statistical cracks.

Larry Kaiser said he was referred two years ago to a specialist at Cincinnati's VA Hospital, and he's still waiting for a call to schedule that appointment.

He's a retired Vietnam veteran who left the Army in 1974 permanently disabled, with a Schizophrenia diagnosis.

"The wear and tear of being in the military and then being a young person away from home it just caught up with me," Kaiser said.

He said his country hasn't shown up to help him.

"I suffer from a severe sinus problem, along with acid reflux," he said.

He said he went to Cincinnati's VA for treatment, and his primary care doctor sent for an ear, nose and throat consultation.

Two years later, "I'm still waiting for that appointment," he said.

He said he called to follow up.

"They told me as soon as a doctor would be available that I would be notified about the appointment," he said.

Finally, months later, he said he got tired of waiting and went elsewhere for treatment.

"If it is happening to me, chances are it's happening to other veterans," he said.

A new audit showed wait times aren't nearly as bad in Cincinnati as they are at other VA care centers across the country.

Only 2 percent of appointments at the Cincinnati VA were scheduled for beyond 30 days. But for those who say they're part of that 2 percent, there's a feeling of betrayal.

Just ask Kaiser.

"This is the thanks that I get for putting my life on the line during a war time?" he said.

Phone calls and emails made Monday night to officials at Cincinnati's VA hospital have gone unreturned.

Nationally, the VA is in the process of contacting more than 90,000 veterans. For those waiting longer than 30 days for an appointment, VA officials said they're trying to get people in sooner, or they're referring them to non-VA providers.